The present disclosure relates generally to measuring sheet resistances of semiconductor devices and, more specifically, to measuring a sheet resistance from within a semiconductor device.
This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
Semiconductor devices are found in nearly all modern electronics. Indeed, semiconductors are used in processors, memory devices, and even electronic displays. For example, liquid crystal display (LCD) panels use thin-film transistors (TFTs) to activate and deactivate pixels to program the LCD panel. Various components of the LCD panel propagate the signals that program the LCD panel. The sheet resistance of such components may impact the operation of the LCD panel. For example, sheet resistance may correspond to a quality of the LCD panel; a sheet resistance outside a defined range may indicate that the LCD panel may fail to operate as designed.
As a result, sheet resistances are often tested when LCD panels are manufactured. Manufacturers generally sample sheet resistances of a wafer on which many separate display panels have been formed. Using the sampled sheet resistance values, manufacturers may then estimate the sheet resistance for each display panel constructed from the single wafer. The sheet resistance, however, may vary at different locations on the wafer. As such, the manufacturers' estimates regarding the sheet resistance for its manufactured display panels may not be accurate. Moreover, it is difficult to measure sheet resistance after the display has been manufactured and placed within an electronic device.